


Road Less Taken

by Saraku



Series: they'll call us freedom [2]
Category: Persona 2, Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, Persona Series
Genre: Drabble Collection, Ficlet, Fluff, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Implied Relationships, Mild Language, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Queerplatonic Relationships, Reunions, Spoilers, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-06-26 13:21:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15664029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saraku/pseuds/Saraku
Summary: Before, during, and after the labyrinths, they all had a story.Now, even with a group of 28 boisterous and eclectic people, they can't spend all their time exploring the labyrinths.[Eventual fic collection spanning all the games (P1/P2 included) focused on PQ/PQ2]





	1. PQ2 [Minato, Hamuko] - Teasers (Pre-Release)

The labyrinth sounded just as alive as it did back in the realm Rei created, Minato concluded. It rumbled quietly and he was sure he wouldn’t have noticed without the experience garnered as a Persona user.

His companion hummed quietly, their hands clasped together tightly. Despite the apathy that was on her features, her cheerfulness still sore above it and said cheerfulness stuck out like a sore thumb. It made it feel _real_ , like this wasn’t another maze, as if they were living their lives as regular people.

He didn’t want to forget again. He already forgot _once_ ; the memories gained with the Investigation Team hit him full-force when they had been dragged in. To forget this was cruel of the universe.

She swung their hands around playfully. “You’re thinking too hard again.”

Minato’s mood dissipated slightly. Even if it had been hours ago since they had been reunited, he couldn’t help but feel euphoric even at the sound of her voice. “You always say that about me, Hamu.”

Hamuko laughed loudly, the sound echoing in the empty movie theatre they had been walking around in. “I can’t help it! You’re fun to tease, Mina.”

Maybe it was the ‘twin sense’ crap he’d heard many times in random movies and shows, but he could easily detect the heightened pitch of her voice by the end. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do such a thing in front of our friends.”

 _Friends_. It came so easy, even as his heart constricted at the thought of such a thing ending if – _when_ – they ended the Dark Hour.

The hollow sounds of the labyrinth reminded that he had more time, at least.

Hamuko’s hand squeezed his and he squeezed back. “Nonsense. As your big sister, my job is to embarrass you in every shape and form.”

“I thought that was my role,” he responded lightly. Hamuko being the “big” sister and him being “little” brother was once a source of argument turned teasing, all because Hamuko had been the first of them to come out. It’d been _years_. He missed it.

“Nah. Your role was to be the annoying little brother that ticked me off by trying to be cool.”

“Hey now.” If she was going to play this game, then Minato was damn well going to play with the intent to win. “Don’t blame me for our genetics.”

“Putting words in my mouth, are you? How dare you,” Hamuko responded with the same, apathetic smile that gave them the ‘cool’ status, as kids and now as teenagers.

Check.

He shrugged, drawing just enough fucks to look her straight in the eyes. “Hamuko,” he began softly, “that’s like saying Igor _wanted_ his long nose, or wanted his attendants to sing about it. Or,” he paused, watching silently as she simmered, “how ducks are _ugly._ ”

He managed to pry their hands apart as her voice turned deadly. “You _didn’t_.”

Checkmate.

“I only speak the truth, _little sister_.”

Her eyes flashed a heavenly yellow and Minato was running before she could get her naginata out, slipping his headphones on to ignore Orpheus' howl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I don't have enough ficlet collections with one chapter in them, apparently.  
> I'm hyped, as you can see, since I've already written for it before it's out.
> 
> I'll be referencing my own personal preferred ships, but nothing major. It'll also reference events from both sides of PQ's stories.  
> For continuity's sake, Minato will have been the main team leader in PQ, but both mini-events from both stories occur (i.e - Yukiko's cookies in the 3rd labyrinth from P3's side, Mystery Food X: Final Edition from P4's side have both happened).
> 
> (Yes, I'm aware FeMC is surprised about MaleMC and them being the "same person", but I'm a sucker for the twin/sibling AU and I will HAVE IT.)


	2. PQ2 [Yu, Minato] - Exposition (Pre-Release)

“Is Kanji all right?”

Yu nodded. “Yeah. I don’t think anything can take him out for long after Mystery Food X: Final Edition. He was shaking with excitement to ask about the Phantom Thieves’ outfits. ”

His friend smiled, head shaking slightly from the small laugh. “I’d pay to see someone other than them to be in those outfits.”

Yu smirked, popping a kernel of popcorn into his mouth. A little too much salt. “Already planning someone’s inevitable demise, Minato?”

“Whatever.” That brought back memories of a certain love-hell maze. “At least I didn’t eat someone’s science project for dinner.”

Yu wasn’t sure which emotion was at the forefront: amusement or dread. “I told you that in secrecy,” he replied flatly.

Minato shrugged, shifting his position to overlook the scattered groups that were in the main lobby with them and Yu turned his head slightly to do the same. “With this group, nothing’s really secret.”

Fair enough. Keeping things secret was working as well as Marie making sure no one read her poems. The male blond in Akira’s group – Ryuji? – was getting along charmingly well with Chie, the latter already having revealed Yosuke’s various incidents, including their first visit into the Midnight Channel.

As they watched the groups interact, a question popped into Yu’s mind. “What do you think of Joker?”

Minato paused on his eating, silently putting his spoon down on the table. “Well, for one, I didn’t enjoy seeing you two brawl.”

Right, Minato was there. Yu was too focused on trying not to get shot. “Being confused isn’t very fun.”

“Har, har,” Minato deadpanned. He folded his hands together, pressing them lightly to his lips. “Joker… the third – fourth? – Wild Card of this group. _Phantom Thief_. From what I’ve seen, he’s sassy, superfluous, and ambitious. And tired. Definitely tired.”

Yu smirked. “You would know, of course. I have to admit, another Wild Card wasn’t something I was expecting.”

Minato blinked. “Speaking of.” He placed his Evoker on the table. “Can you…”

Yu physically felt his shoulders slump as he shook his head. The other Persona’s that was once in his mental deck had disappeared, leaving only Izanagi. Just like the first time. “Margaret had mentioned that two Wild Card’s had caused this problem then.”

The unspoken question lingered in the air.

“I don’t have Izanagi-no-Okami anymore,” Yu mentioned. The tingle of power threatened to break free and appear as a card even as he easily saw the Fool card in his mind. “Do you?”

Minato shook his head. “Messiah has reverted back to Orpheus. Interesting little thing.” Four Wild Cards. When there were two, every Persona user could wield their own and an additional Persona from the Sea of Souls, and let their Persona’s “ascend early”, to summarize Margaret’s post-battle explanation.

And now those ascensions were gone, and he wasn’t sure if everyone could still wield another Persona. “Wouldn’t hurt to ask the attendants.”

“Mmh. Elizabeth’s always on and on about random things, and from what I saw with Margaret, she’ll brush us off.”

Yu frowned, tapping on the table. “True. Margaret goes on about how nothing happens in the Velvet Room for no reason, and while I’m inclined to agree, she still won’t give us an answer.”

Minato finished his ice cream with a clink from the spoon in the glass as he pushed the cup away. “Think we could ask Akira’s attendants? The twins?”

“Doubt it. I’ve seen them treat Akira – poor guy is getting bullied by them.”

Minato smirked. “Savagery must run in the family.”

“What did Elizabeth ever do to you?” Yu had seen Theodore after Margaret’s massacre and he had decided that he would _much_ more happily complete fusion requests for his Empress.

Minato was quiet for a time that was even long for the two of them combined. “Minato?”

“We don’t talk about it.”

“ _What_?”

Minato made eye contact and Yu felt paralyzed. “There was a durian involved,” he whispered.

 _Oh._ Yu shivered. The very thought was legitimately horrifying. He coughed awkwardly and thought of another topic.

His mind stumbled upon a horrific (and amusing) memory “You think we’ll have to go through another soulmate-based maze?” Normally he would’ve thought twice about spitting that out, but he knew he had no impulse control when he was with the younger of the Arisato twins.

He grunted, shifting in his seat. “So long we don’t have to fall through any more floors.”

Yu laughed, crossing his legs and grinning at the memory. “You landed fine.” The actual _dungeon_ wasn’t fun, nor was the dramatic priest at the end, but as weird and embarrassing it was, the in-between was fun.

“Says the one that landed on their feet. You were the one that dragged me into that, anyway,” Minato replied dryly.

Yu folded his hands and rested his chin on them. “I was only answering the questions.”

“That “destined love” thing wasn’t even accurate,” Minato said flatly. Yu scratched his cheek sheepishly - Minato wasn’t wrong when he said that Yu was responsible for dragging him in. “ _Really?_ Can’t two people be close while not being blood-related without wanting to screw each other?”

Yu snorted and dissolved into giggles. The stark contrast of the question from the normally stoic and tired Minato was something rare to see. “It worked for Zen and Rei,” he pointed out. “Also, close? I’m insulted.”

Minato gave him a flat look and shrugged. “Maybe it chooses depending on who you’re the closest to?” He lowered his voice to a murmur that Yu struggled to hear him. “I don’t even care.”

“Your protectiveness is showing.”

“Shut it, Narukami.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting forward, I'm adding a [Implied Relationship - (Characters/Here)] at the end of the chapter. The actual info will be blanked out and must be highlighted over to see. This will be added even if there is no implied ship so that if there is an implied relationship, you aren't tipped off by it suddenly being added.
> 
> Implied Relationship(s) - [        None         ]
> 
> Yes, while Minato was the main team leader for this continuity, it doesn't mean I'm not having them switch things around. The leader is the one to answer the rest of the questions because they answered first, anyway. P4Protag, personally, is more expressive than P3Protag, and would have answered first between the two of them.
> 
> Ah, these two. I interpret their relationship depending on the content I'm reading (obviously). As interesting as it would've been to go down _that_ particular route to write this set of connected oneshots, I had other plans.  
>  For those who've taken a peek at my bookmarks, I won't be writing them like that. That's like a guilty pleasure? Not the best set of words to use, but I can't really explain it any other way.


	3. PQ2 [Hamuko, SEES] - Continuities (Pre-Release)

“How’d you meet the Investigation Team, who’s _two years_ ahead of us?”

Junpei snickered, leaning back on his chair. “Oh, _man_. Minato here somehow convinced us to go to Tartarus after the typhoon – he was sick, too – so, like, what the hell –“

Minato interjected softly as Hamuko’s mind blanked and played through Junpei’s words again.

She slammed her hand on the table in surprise, cutting off Minato who blinked in surprise. “Woah – hang on. Typhoon?” She frowned, tapping a finger to her mouth. “That hasn’t happened yet.”

Mitsuru furrowed her brows. “It definitely happened. Arisato was sick for about two days. We even had to cancel the festival due to safety concerns.”

“Um –“ Fuuka stumbled on her words, “– are you sure you weren’t ill yourself, Hamu-chan?”

Impossible. Hamuko swallowed nervously. “No. I would remember that, for sure. Especially since it’s been broadcasted and warned about for weeks. It’s suppose to hit right around the third week.”

“Hamu,” Minato murmured, “it _is_ the third week.”

She stuttered to a stop, mind reeling. “ _What_? It’s only two weeks into September – you're about three days ahead of the dates.”

“Improbable,” Aigis intoned. Her eyes were unfocused and blinked curiously as she obviously looked at her stored data. “We entered Tartarus at the Dark Hour between the 21st and 22nd.”

Ken’s eyes darted around nervously. Koromaru pressed himself to her thigh, whimpering at the confusion.

Shinjiro sighed. “What the _hell_.”

Hamuko met Minato’s eyes and they stared at each other briefly before they blinked simultaneously Minato frowned. “That’s - you’re a week behind?”

“Give or take, probably,” she replied. “Do you remember the day you woke up after Awakening?”

“I’d say it was April 17,” Yukari interjected. “I remember keeping track of the days since I wa–” Hamuko’s eyebrows shot up. “– _we_ were worried.”

Yukari’s feelings were not for her to divulge on, so she would pretend that slip up never happened. “Huh. Well, I don’t remember the exact date for me, but I do know it was past the 18th by that point. “

Fuuka shifted nervously. “I don’t think it’ll have a major impact on us. Nothing big really happened last week.” She looked away, expression almost _angry_. “Not that it’ll matter...”

That was another thing she would have to find out about – why things ‘wouldn’t matter’. “I mean,” Hamuko began, “the only major thing I really did during my week was to meet with friends and the normal Tartarus expeditions.” She stole a glance at Shinjiro and Akihiko, however. The former was noticeably tenser than he was at her world, and she only knew that because she spent so much time with him, and the latter looked frustrated.

And with Minato’s team roughly a week ahead, she had to wonder what was going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Implied Relationship(s) - [        None         ]
> 
> In original P3 and FES, the protagonist wakes up at April 17. In Portable, both protagonists wake up at the 19th. Every other major events lines up, however. I’m pretty sure the extra 2 days are just for tutorial related stuff, but I’m taking advantage of this. My children will suffer.  
> (By that, I mean I write in a continuity-style. Meaning all of this, even if they can’t remember it, will be canon in any other stories that have up to/passed this moment in the timeline. Little things will affect the story.)
> 
> The sudden switch in topics was deliberate. Conversations tend to go off-track very fast if its casual conversation, and the question had popped up earlier in their (undocumented) conversation.
> 
> I’m sure when the game comes out its going to screw this timeline as fast as it possibly can, but what the hell, this is self-indulgent.


	4. P2:IS [Tatsuya, Maya] - Divine Intervention

Familiar footsteps were moving in his direction and he wasn’t sure if he was to be scared or relaxed. Still, he refused to move from his spot, instead staring at the dipping sun even as the figure reached their destination.

Maya had a knowing smile on her face. Tatsuya decided that he was going to go with scared. The familiar flick and click of the lighter in his hand was soothing even in the terror that Amano Maya was when she knew something.

She sat down next to him where he knew the cobblestone was cool to the touch to combat the heat, but between her cool demeanor and his own burning light, it really didn’t mean much to them.

“Come on.”

Absolutely not. His eyes were transfixed on the flowers that lined the sidewalk. He should ask Jun for lessons in flower language –

A stuffed rabbit was shoved into his face, Maya’s appearing behind it with a faux frown. “Come on, Tatsuya-kun. You’ll make Mr. Bunbun sad.”

Hell. He was in hell. Absolute hell. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Maya.”

Maya stared. He was a terrible liar – was, is, and always will be, even without the rumours. He should’ve kept his mouth shut. Lying was an option but he was _terrible at it_.

“You said Leo next, right?” Yes, he did. “Leo’s your Zodiac.” What direction was this conversation going? He didn’t like it. “Personally, I think it’s better you get it out of you before we have to fight your Shadow.”

Fantastic. _Two_ things he did not want to talk about. “I made my feelings very – _clear_ , back at Taurus,” Tatsuya replied. Flick, click, on, off. Flick, click, on, off –

“And this is the most awkward I’ve seen you,” Maya teased back. Mr. Bunbun was gone. Good; he didn’t need a rabbit telling him his life decisions sucked while this was going on. “Since we’re still trying to get Jun to settle back into some sense of normalcy, why not be his guide?”

Vague memories of Jun essentially calling her mom made him freeze like she personally cast Bufudyne on him. “Are you giving me advice.”

“Maybe.”

Tatsuya promptly decided that silence was the best way to approach this. He’d said far too much.

Maya hummed a cheerful, upbeat tone as she got up and walked back from wherever she was before intruding his _nice view of the setting sun_ – before turning and flashing him a grin. “Don’t think I didn’t see you flick that lighter of yours before answering.”

His finger slipped and the lighter nearly scorched his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Implied Relationship(s) - [   Tatsuya/Jun   ]
> 
> I’m fully aware that flickering the lighter is a character tic and is by no means an indication to the ‘answer’ but it was too good to pass up.
> 
> I’m still blasting through IS but I get put off by the encounter rate so I’m working through the game at a slug’s pace. Thanks Youtube for documenting Taurus Temple.
> 
> I'm an idiot who forgot about Tatsuya's scenarios in EP. Damn it.  
> tfw you relate to a protagonist so much you can't tell if its their canon personality or if projecting. I hope I did him justice.


	5. PQ2/P4A [Yu, Minato] - Maybe (JP Release)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mild Persona Q2 spoilers. I'm warning you.

Yu sees Minato drag himself out of the room that had been turned into a temporary sleeping/resting room and doesn’t see Hamuko or Aigis in sight, so he goes up to Minato instead.

“How are you feeling?”

“My head feels like it’s being slammed around by a sledgehammer.”

Ah. He knew that feeling all too well. “The cons of having to protect someone with a weakness you share.”

Minato shoots him a glare as his hand goes for his holster, shoulder relaxing at the grasp of the gun and Yu winces internally. He doubts Minato would ever drop that action – not having the ability to summon a Persona in an unfamiliar, Shadow-ridden world would be terrifying.

 _But_ , Yu muses, _how would it feel? To not have to the burden of the world on your shoulders? Of people being kidnapped and dying because they were told and taught that only the best of them could exist?_

Yu knows that his hands itch for the cool sensation of a Tarot Card, and lives in fear of the sword he keeps in case he lacks the stamina for Izanagi.

“I don’t suppose you know where my team or Hamuko is?” Minato asks instead.

The attempt of a change in topic is nice but Yu knows a truthful answer will just drive them deeper into this non-verbal conversation. “In the Velvet Room.”

The hand resting at the holster twitches and instead he leads them to a free couch, far enough so no one else around the lounge could hear them.

Yu regrets his decision _immediately_ as the conversation drifting towards them is about fighting Shadows. The Phantom Thieves outfits, the Midnight Channel glasses, and offhand mentions of SEES’ guns. He doesn’t even need to look to know Minato’s grasp on that gun is tight.

“Sometimes, the world needs a saviour, huh,” Minato murmurs. Yu notes that the typical slouch is gone – no hands in pockets. The one hand he can see is clenched into a fist.

Yu can’t help but think at how helpless one would have felt without the instrument of their power. And he especially cannot help but think thoughts of the future – a future wherein they’ve eradicated the cause of their respective team’s formation.

An impossible task by itself, but he cannot help it, nor can he help the thought that slips from his mouth.

“Would you ever let it go?” He asks quietly.

Minato looks pensive, a heavy shadow over his eyes – even heavier than in the Yasogami Labyrinth’s when he told him about his sister. “I don’t know.” He doesn’t ask what _it_ is. Doesn’t need to.

He looks up, avoiding Yu’s eyes and peering straight into the dark infinity of the nonexistent sky. “Maybe – maybe for a good cause. For something that’ll hopefully make it so no one else needs to fight.”

Minato’s lips curl into a bittersweet smile as he finally makes eye contact with Yu. “Maybe one day,” he offers.

Yu thinks. They have a two-year time difference, and he and his team are still fighting Shadows. Maybe Minato and his group are fighting them, too. And Akira’s, with his group in late 2016.

That’s at least five years into the future for Yu, and even more for Minato, who looked tired and grim but determined. One day.

Maybe one day, Minato won’t need to worry about not having a specialized gun by his waist. Maybe one day, Yu could be with his friends without the thought of kidnappings and threatening letters. Maybe one day, the Phantom Thieves could live without being repressed and harassed.

“Maybe one day,” Yu agrees.

 

\---

 

When he faces off against a man with silver hair, exuding the air of experience, his eyes are not drawn to the cape, or to the fact that he’s shirtless.

It’s to the glint of the gun strapped to its holster on his left bicep.

And it’s not fear of a gun that hits him first, experiences with Adachi be damned –

(“Would you ever let it go?”)

…

…

Despite the crushing exhaustion and soreness from the battle, Yu wonders if he won simply because of the sheer desperation to find his friends; he can’t help but think there’s more to it.

(“Maybe one day.”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Implied Relationship(s) - [        None         ]
> 
> hi my name's saraku and i like thinking about how _minato and yu never get to meet again im sad_
> 
> I've taken some creative liberties here. Such as, you know, the Twin AU despite PQ2 confirming that they share a heart/soul but are not the same person. And that _they don't have their memories in game sO IM GIVING IT TO THEM_  
>  References to the P4Arena Manga.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
